Our Philosophy
At Folkestone Street Infant & Child Care, we Believe…
- That providing unconditional love and nurturing in a safe and homely environment is the foundation needed for life-long learning.
- Our strong partnerships with tamariki and their whānau are formed through reciprocal and respectful relationships, an open-door policy, and continued engagement with centre life, providing a sense of belonging for all in our Folkestone Street whānau.
- Whānau are encouraged to visit as often as they like before their tamariki starts (the more the better!) so that tamariki feel secure in their relationships and are able to predict the rhythms of the day.
- Our daily practice is inclusive and respectful of our bicultural curriculum, as well our multicultural society. We acknowledge the uniqueness of all tamariki in our care, and tailor our curriculum to meet their needs.
- Tamariki thrive when immersed in an active learning environment. They make discoveries for themselves, drive their own learning, explore at their own pace, and engage in risk taking whilst fully supported by skilled and dedicated kaiako.
- That pepe require freedom of movement in order to develop core strength, independence and the sense of achievement that helps them to develop into capable and competent lifelong learners.
- Our passionate kaiako are committed to fostering open-mindedness, critical thinking, a strong sense of curiosity, burgeoning self-regulation skills and problem solving for all tamariki in our care.
- Kaiako are respectful of tamariki and endeavour to provide a curriculum and daily rhythms that are responsive to children’s individual needs. We also appreciate that tamariki, at times, require solace and time for themselves and we strive to provide spaces conducive to these needs.
- Tamariki transition between spaces at their own pace and are welcome to move between spaces when as needed.
- We create environments that meet the needs of our unique age group. Our large natural outdoor learning environment provides abundant opportunities for exploration and experiences with natural and open-ended materials.
Whangaia ka tupu, ka puawai
That which is nurtured, blossoms and grows.
